


Operation: L.E.G.E.N.D.

by Usami_chan13



Category: Codename: Kids Next Door
Genre: Gen, Post-Movie(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-28
Updated: 2012-05-28
Packaged: 2017-11-06 04:00:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/414456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Usami_chan13/pseuds/Usami_chan13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>/post "Operation: Z.E.R.O."/ Just because a story ends doesn't mean the legend is over. Many times there are still issues that are left unresolved.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation: L.E.G.E.N.D.

**Operation: L.E.G.E.N.D.**

**L** egendary  
 **E** vents  
 **G** rant altered  
 **E** xpectations and  
 **N** ew  
 **D** oubts

His father was down in the front lawn doing yard work. Even from his spot high up in one of the tree house decks looking down at the street below, he was able to see his father pushing the lawn mower back and forth across the area of grass in front of their house. The roar of the motor echoed throughout the neighborhood and even managed to reach his ears up in his rather towering position. He had hoped that the height would help him find a quiet place to gather his thoughts, but he knew better than to expect that by standing outside. Then again, he really shouldn’t have been too surprised that he was watching his father working in the yard at that very moment.

He had always hated mowing the lawn. Whenever his mother asked him to perform that particular chore (and all other chores for that matter), he would whine and complain adamantly in order to get out of it. Normally it was because he simply didn’t want to do them. This time, however, he was just too tired.

The past month had exhausted him, even if he refused to admit it to anyone. There had been a lot work that had to be done in order to build the new Moon Base and get it operational, much more than he thought there would be, and every Kids Next Door operative was required to help in someway. The last thing that he had wanted to do after all of that was mow the stupid lawn. Luckily for him, his dad had been nice enough to offer to mow the lawn instead.

Then again, his dad never really seemed to mind doing some of his chores for him occasionally.

Still, Numbuh 1 somehow found himself standing up on the top of the tree house and watching his dad do _his_ chore. And while he leaned forward slightly, supporting himself with his folded arms against the railing of the deck, and gazing down at the man working below him, he held the Book of KND tighter to his chest.

_…I need to complete the most important mission of my life…To be a good father to my son…_

The boy couldn’t help but smile faintly at those words despite the sadness he had felt from watching that transmission that day. The image from the hologram…and the words that accompanied it…was all burned deeply in his mind. For some reason, he refused to let it go. He wanted to hold on to everything for as long as he could.

But whenever his thoughts returned back to that day, the guilt that pounded in his heart would also return.

“Numbuh 1?” he heard a soft voice say from behind, followed by gentle footsteps against the wooden boards. “What’re you doin’ out here?”

He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was that was approaching. Eyes still fixed downwards, he answered, “Just…thinking, Numbuh 5.”

Soon, the second-in-command was at his side, one hand resting on the railing while she stood to face him. “Mind if I join ya?” she asked.

Carefully glancing at her from behind his dark sunglasses, the Leader then shook his head slightly. Even if he had come up there originally to mull over things on his own, he decided that he didn’t mind the company. “Go ahead.”

Smiling a little, the Quiet One turned slightly to lean her back against the rail, elbows resting on the banister to support her upper body. Sighing softly, she crossed one foot over the other and looked up at the higher levels of the tree house that blocked her view of the sky. She knew exactly what – or rather who – her commander was looking at, and she could possibly guess what he was thinking about.

“So, do ya miss him?” she asked softly, turning her head slightly to look at him.

Numbuh 1 said nothing at first, keeping his shaded eyes focused on the man below them. He knew what she meant. “Sometimes…” he confessed hesitantly. “But…this is what he wanted. This is how he wanted things to be, and even if I thought I could do to change it…I wouldn’t get in the way of an operative’s final wish.”

“He’s not dead, y’know…”

Despite himself, he smiled a little. He could hear the slight humor in her tone. “I know…But it’s still hard to believe that it’s the same person, isn’t it?”

Numbuh 5 glanced over her shoulder down at the man who, taking a break from mowing the lawn, was sitting on the steps of the house and reading the newspaper. Even now, she was impressed of how the mind-wiping effects of the decommissioning chambers could radically change ex-operatives’ personalities just by removing all their memories of the Kids Next Door, just as they had changed an intense and cool operative like Numbuh 0 into a slightly weird middle-aged man. “Yeah, a little…” she replied honestly.

Nodding slightly, the British boy then rested his chin on his arms, feeling the book he held gently press deeper into his chest and the top edge of it press against his neck. “You know…even after I recommissioned him, he still remembered everything else that happened before that moment.”

“Well of course he remembered ev’rythin’. His other memories weren’t taken away when he was decommissioned. The Recommissioning Module only restored all his memories about the Kids Next Door that he had forgotten. It’s not like those memories replaced all his other memories.”

He sighed softly, turning his face away from her slightly. “I know. And that means that he still remembered all those times that I had yelled at him…or the times when I told him that I would rather hang out with you guys than with him. He still remembered all of it…and he was still willing to help me out.”

Frowning slightly, Numbuh 5 turned to look at the other. She began to open her mouth to answer, but soon stopped herself from doing so. Even though she had something that she wanted to say to him, she knew him well enough to know that there were still things that he wanted to tell her.

“Even after everything I had ever said or done to him, he still didn’t mind helping me. I mean, I know he probably still had his own grudge against Grandfather that he wanted to finish or something, but still…Even before I recommissioned him he was willing to help me, no matter what it meant for him. I didn’t think about it at first, but now that I do, I kind of feel bad. And…I guess I did like my dad before, and I liked spending time with him. But when I found out he was Numbuh 0, I liked him better than before, and I wanted to spend _more_ time with him.”

He shut his eyes tightly as his heart pounded with guilt once again. “The second I recommissioned him, I thought he was the coolest person ever…but _only_ because he was Numbuh 0. The more I thought about it, the worse I felt…the worse I _feel_. Because the only reason I like him this much is because of who he used to be…”

She watched as he sighed heavily before burying his face in his arms. She knew what she wanted to say and felt it on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated slightly. He was obviously a little upset, and she wanted to make sure that the words that came out of her mouth next would clearly portray her meaning, and that they would be the right words to comfort him this time. Inhaling deeply, she let out her breath slowly before finally speaking. “Why…does that have ta be a _bad_ thing?”

Shoulders tightening slightly, Numbuh 1 looked up at his fellow operative in slight surprise.

Shifting slightly to lean back against the rail again, she lifted her head to look up at the sky once more. “Listen…there’s always somethin’ about parents that kids don’t like about ‘em. They could be embarrassin’ or lame…or there’s some issue that the parents and kids just can’t agree on. But sometimes there’s _at least_ one thing that kids really like about their parents.”

She paused briefly, carefully choosing her words to make sure she was about to say the right thing. “For you, it just happens that your dad was once Numbuh 0. When you found that out, you liked him a lot more just because of that…But why is that so bad? It’s not like you like him for some incredible lie or somethin’. That’s _really_ part of who he was, even if he doesn’t remember it anymore.”

Glancing back at him, Numbuh 5 smiled gently. “Besides, you even said that you liked your dad and liked spending time with him before you found out. That means somethin’, doesn’t it? Even if you like him more because of who he was…your dad won’t care. I bet he’s just glad that you like him at all. To him, it doesn’t really matter why.

“And you’re lucky to have such a nice dad, y’know. Even though sometimes you might yell at him or choose to hang with us than with him, he’s always willin’ to forgive you and help you when you need him…just because you’re his son, and he cares ‘bout you.”

Turning slightly, she gently placed her hand on his shoulder. “He may not be Numbuh 0 anymore…but he’ll _always_ be your dad. And _that’s_ the most important thing.”

Blinking a little as he looked at her, Numbuh 1 felt his body relax a little as he returned her smile. “I guess you’re right…” he said softly, looking back down below him again.

Her smile turned into a playful grin, shifting back into her original standing position. “Of course I’m right,” she retorted.

A small silence fell between the two of them as the British boy once again was watching his dad below, dragging the shut-off lawn mower towards the open garage. “You know what’s kind of funny, though?” he suddenly piped up.

“What?”

“Well…all this time, I’ve been working my hardest to be just like Numbuh 0, who’s been my hero for almost as long as I’ve been in the Kids Next Door. And then I find out…that I’ve been working so hard to be…just like my dad.”

Still smiling, the Quite One looked back at the sky once more. She found it strange the way life worked out sometimes. The entire time Numbuh 1 had been trying to act just like the hero who he admired, only to find out that his own father was his hero all along. But she refrained from saying so. She had already said a lot of things that sounded rather overly-sentimental, and she had a certain reputation to keep.

“Actually,” the Leader added, “when I think about it, it’s also kind of scary…”

“Whatcha mean?”

“Well, I’ve always wanted to be like Numbuh Ze…I mean, my dad. And maybe I am like him…at least a bit. But it makes me wonder…After I get decommissioned, will I eventually grow up to be like that?” He laughed softly, shaking his head a little. “Will I…end up listening to sousaphone music all the time…or read the newspaper constantly…? Will I…embarrass my own son to death…because I’ll never be able to remember what it was like…being a kid?”

The girl glanced at the younger boy beside her. “You don’t sound too bummed out ‘bout it, though…”

Numbuh 1 smiled a little. “I guess I don’t…Because if I _do_ become that way…it’d be better than becoming like one of the evil adults that we fight all the time, I think.” He carefully fingered the cover of the book he held in his arms. “Even after my dad was decommissioned, he still cared about kids…He still does…And if _I_ could grow up to be like that after my decommissioning…then I wouldn’t mind.”

Watching him from the corner of her eye, she then turned her head to look at him. “You really oughta put that book away or somethin’. It wouldn’t be good if you ended up losin’ it and it fell into the wrong hands.”

“I won’t lose it,” he replied confidently. “This book’s in my care now, and I won’t lose it. I just…I’m not ready to put it away just yet…”

Reaching her hand up slowly, she hesitated before pulling the bill of her cap down to cover her eyes. Even though her eyes were hidden, her attention was still focused on the other. “You’ve been readin’ some of your dad’s stories?”

Nodding enthusiastically, the boy then grinned and held up the book. “Yeah, of course I did! And his stories are incredible! I mean, as if finding the book at all and defeating Grandfather wasn’t enough! My dad really did have some amazing adventures! No wonder he was such an inspiring operative!”

The Quiet One felt a small smile form on her lips. Numbuh 1 by far was not an easy person to impress. Most of the time, he warily kept his distance from anyone or anything that was presented to him outside of his trusted sources. With a firm expression set on his face and a stiffened posture to support him, the Leader of Sector V always looked at any unfamiliar person or data with doubtful eyes that tried to penetrate through any deceptions that were hidden.

But in the rare occasion that something – or someone – managed to break through his guarded barrier, he would eventually come to accept it, holding fast to and protecting it. This was especially true towards people. Those who were able to finally gain his trust also won his loyalty and his respect. It was to these rare persons that Numbuh 1 grew especially attached to and admired more than anything.

It took a while…but his father finally made it all the way through.

Still, there was something that Numbuh 5 had been meaning to ask her commander for some time. She had meant to ask about it earlier, but with all their work rebuilding the new Moon Base, she was never able to find an opportune moment. Now that they had a chance to talk, though, she finally decided that this was as good a time as ever.

“Hey Numbuh 1?”

Watching as his father below entered the house at long last and vaguely wondering why it had taken the man so long to do so, the British boy then turned to look at his fellow operative. “Yeah?”

“Are you sure that you don’t wanna write anythin’ else in that book? I mean, other than what you’ve already put down in it…”

Without any reluctance, the Leader nodded his head slightly. “I’m sure…” he answered in a soft tone. “I’ve already written down everything that I needed to write…”

“Oh, c’mon Numbuh 1! After ev’rythin’ that’s happened now, you’re gonna be a _legend_! Findin’ out that Numbuh 0 really exists, not to mention that he’s your _dad_ , finding the book of KND, learnin’ that the Delightful Children are really the missin’ operatives of Sector Z and battlin’ alongside ‘em, and defeatin’ Grandfather who almost succeeded in takin’ over the world…Ev’ry operative is gonna be talkin’ ‘bout you! And you were already pretty famous before with all your other adventures…But this story is gonna be passed down to all future operatives ta come!”

The boy nodded once again. “Yeah, I know…”

“Then how come you’re not gonna write it down? If you don’t, then ev’ry thin’ could be blown outta proportion. The people who actually knew what happened will eventually be decommissioned and forget it all while new operatives will retell it the way they heard it, right or not. Eventually, some might see the story as just that…a story…Just like what happened with your dad.”

“I know…” he repeated softly, turning to her with a small smile on his face. “But if that happens, then maybe one day there will be a kid who will be determined enough to look for the truth in the story. And as long as he doesn’t make the same mistakes that I made…he’ll find everything he needs to know…” He held the book up into her line of vision. “…right here…”

Numbuh 5 frowned slightly as she stared at her commander in confusion, occasionally glancing at the book he held in his hands. She couldn’t quite understand what he was trying to say. She knew exactly what he had written in his page of the book – everyone did – and she couldn’t see how anyone would learn anything about him from just those five words. She’d imagine that anyone who read that would determine that the Kids Next Door had been really important to him.

And after replaying that thought in her mind again, she realized that that was _exactly_ what Numbuh 1 had meant. Ever since he became an operative, a majority of Numbuh 1’s life lied within Kids Next Door operations, and most of his actions were driven faithfully for that lifestyle. Even though many times he acted in his own regard without heeding the advice or command of those around him, whatever he did was intended for the safety and security of kids everywhere as well as ensuring the future of KND operatives to come.

It was never about the glory of success. That didn’t really matter to him (although it did seem to help him along at times). What was important to him was the honor of upholding the wellbeing of every kid on Earth. The Kids Next Door was an essential part of his life, and _that_ was what he wanted future operatives to know.

Just thinking about that idea made her smile a little, and she gently punched his shoulder. “Y’know…you’re an okay guy, Numbuh 1,” she said.

The British boy chuckled softly. “Thanks, I guess…”

“Hey, it was a compliment.”

“Whatever you say, Numbuh 5.”

Blinking a little bit at his words, the girl looked over at the other as a strange thought entered her mind. After realizing it following the battle with Grandfather, she had wanted to discuss the issue with the Leader for a while but once again found no opportunity to do so. Now that she remembered, though, she decided that this would be a good time to ask about it.

She waited for a moment, wondering if he had anything left to say or ask her. When he didn’t, she shifted her position slightly and stood with her body turned facing him, resting her chin in one hand while the other hand rested on her hip, keeping her eyes focused on the younger boy. Finally she asked, “Do you know long it’s been since you called me by name?”

Surprised, the boy looked over at her. “What?”

“When we were all Senior Citizombies and you were fightin’ us on the Moon Base, you called us all by name.”

Frowning a little, Numbuh 1 looked up and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Oh…right, I remember now…”

“Yeah…but do you have any idea how long it’s been since you called us by our real names? I mean, I can’t even remember the last time…”

The Leader rubbed the back of his neck. “Really?”

She nodded once, pushing herself away from the rail and letting her arms drop to her sides. “It’s really been years…ever since you joined the Kids Next Door in the first place. For some reason, you stopped callin’ us by name and just only ever used our Numbuhs. But y’know…I noticed that sometimes you call other operatives by _their_ names. And I guess I was just wonderin’ ‘bout why that is.”

His frowned deepened as he looked down at his hands. He said nothing at first, and it seemed as though he was trying to find the answer for himself. “I…I don’t really know…” he finally admitted softly after a few minutes. “I’ve never even really noticed it before. We’ve…always been a close team, I guess…and it’s always been different with you guys. I guess I just…forgot. I don’t know…”

“Well, we _are_ a close team,” the Quiet One answered, placing a hand on his shoulder. “But we’re a lot more than that…I mean, it’s cool that you’re dedicated to the Kids Next Door ‘n’ all…But we’re more than just your fellow operatives and your team…We’re your friends.”

“I know…”

She smiled a little. “Well, for future references…we wouldn’t mind it if you called us by name more often. Just calling us by Numbuh all the time makes you seem too…distant, y’know what I’m sayin’? At least if you call us by name, we’ll feel more like your friends than just your teammates.”

Returning the smile, he nodded slightly. “I’ll keep that in mind…Abby.”

She grinned and shifted her standing position again, once more leaning her back against the railing and propping her elbows up to support her upper body. The two stood in a peaceful silence for a moment as a gentle breeze sifted through the leaves of the tree house. After a month of working almost nonstop up at the new Moon Base, Numbuh 5 was glad for the little bit of time off that they had now. She wasn’t sure how long the serenity would last, but she figured that the adults would at least wait a while before trying to destroy the Kids Next Door again. They, after all, had also been turned into Senior Citizombies by Grandfather. How long it would take to get over the experience, she could only guess. In the meantime, though, she would enjoy the momentary calm.

She glanced over at Leader when he suddenly cleared his throat. “Well, I better get going,” he said. “I’ve still got some work that I need to finish up and…”

She scoffed a bit and shook her head. “What you need ta do is take a nap or somethin’,” she retorted. “You’ve been workin’ too hard…”

He laughed a bit, rubbing the back of his head. It was true that he was tired, but there was still so much that he needed to do. “We’ll see…” he said. “What about you? You gonna stay here?”

“Yeah, I think I’m just gonna hang around for a while…”

Numbuh 1 nodded slightly. “All right then…” Giving her a small wave, the Leader then turned and, with the Book of KND tucked safely in his arms, headed towards the door.

Numbuh 5 watched as he walked away and went back into the tree house. When he was gone, she sighed softly and looked up at the sky. Carefully adjusting her beloved cap on her head, she then closed her eyes to recollect the reason she had gone up to the deck in the first place. After all, even though she hadn’t minded talking with Numbuh 1, there were still things that left her feeling uncertain.

Every operative had heard the story of Numbuh 0 at least once. A boy, tired of how his father used an evil power to force him and all other kids to make tapioca all day and night, found the Book of KND and rebelled against him, ushering in the 7th age of Kids Next Door history. Everyone knew how the tale went. But somehow no one ever seemed to make the connection.

They knew that the great Numbuh 0 had been the son of that ultimate villain they had called “Grandfather.” And the fact that Numbuh 0 was in truth Numbuh 1’s own dad had rapidly spread throughout the globe and base, like sugar in a kid’s bloodstream. The excitement of that alone was incredible enough. But for whatever reason, these two truths never managed to link in the minds of all the kids who listened to the stories. Every single operative had overlooked that one detail: Numbuh 1 was the real grandson of Grandfather.

Even she had managed to miss that piece of information until he told her in confidence one day (and admitted that he, who knew every detail of the legend of Numbuh 0, had also missed the truth). But as though that hadn’t been shocking news enough, he also admitted to her that day that Father, in actuality, was Numbuh 0’s brother Ben, the one who had refused to help Numbuh 0 rebel against Grandfather the first time.

And even Numbuh 5, whose older sister had been helping the Teen Ninjas for years now, was startled by hearing such news. While it was true that Cree was a worthy adversary in their struggle for kids, she was nowhere near the evil capacity that Father possessed. Then there was Grandfather, who was on a different level entirely. He had, after all, nearly succeeded in ageifying everyone on Earth.

So what was it like for Numbuh 1 to know that he was related to such people, who tried to destroy life for kids as they knew it?

She remembered the day that he had told her, one night after they had returned from up at the Moon Base. She had found him awake up at the top of the tree house, staring across the neighborhood at the mansion where Father lived. When she had first asked what was wrong, he refused to tell her. But after a while, he had finally admitted the whole story to her, the little secrets that he had suppressed when the tale of him and Numbuh 0 first unveiled. He had explained the truth to her only after he made her promise that she wouldn’t repeat his words to anyone. His reason for doing so was because he himself was still trying to come to terms with the facts, and only then would he be ready to reveal it all.

But he had trusted her enough to tell her everything, and so she had promised that she wouldn’t tell anyone his secret. It was his business, not hers, and all she could do was be there for him and support him. She, after all, understood what it was like to have family member opposing them. So she wanted to help him through it.

However, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she needed to do much more than that. And so, one night as she was preparing to get to bed, she made another promise to herself.

She had never forgiven herself for the incident when the Delightful Children kidnapped him and made him bald. After that day, she had vowed that she would do whatever it took to look over and protect Numbuh 1, and to always be there for him when he needed her help. And while there were times when she had failed to do so, even now, for the most part she believed that she had kept her word. But now more than ever, it was important for her to watch over him and keep him safe.

Because she understood that Numbuh 1 was a great operative. She knew exactly what he was capable of and what he was like. She knew how dedicated he was to the Kids Next Door and to the safety of kids everywhere. He was a hard worker and knew all KND protocols by heart. He was an excellent, courageous, and determined fighter who never backed down from a challenge. He fought for what he believed in, and often triumphed in the end. Not to mention he was the son of another great hero.

Unfortunately, Numbuh 1 also had a long line of evil history that ran through his blood. And while he was an excellent operative and for the most part a good person, he did have his bad moments. Though he was brave most of the time, there were certain instances where a more cowardly nature came through. He was also slightly bossy, a bit arrogant, whiny, headstrong and stubborn, reckless, impatient, and somewhat had a bad temper. And there had been times when she felt that Numbuh 1 was more serious and grown-up than some adults she knew.

She had always felt that there were some strange similarities between Numbuh 1 and Father. But when she had learned of the truth, she knew that she had to do everything in her power to help and protect him. She had to make sure that he would never turn into someone like Father, the kind of person he had been fighting against all this time.

Truthfully, she doubted that it was even possible. But then again, many more incredible things have happened to them lately. In the past few years, she learned that anything could happen.

So she could only wait and help her friend along. This story wasn’t finished just yet, and no one knew how it would end.

**End Transmission**


End file.
